Secrets of the Nortan Throne
by HamiltonFanGirl1508
Summary: What if Queen Coriane didn't die? What if, instead, she was in hiding? Many years after Coriane's escape, Natasha Romanoff is sent into Norta to keep an eye on Queen Elara. But her simple spy mission is about to change her life forever. Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot, all rights go to Victoria Aveyard and the MCU. *A/N: Sorry, I suck at summaries*
1. Chapter 1

**S.H.I.E.L.D HQ - 6:00 am (May 31, 301 (Nortan Calendar))**

"Sir, we just got a distress call from the Queen of Norta." Commander Maria Hill turned to face Director Fury.

"What does the Queen of Norta ask of us?" Fury inquired curiously. If Queen Coriane was in danger, she had guards who she could turn to for protection, so the situation must be dire to turn to S.H.I.E.L.D, an organization not even in Norta, for help.

"She believes that there may be an attempt on her life tonight. She doesn't feel like she can trust anyone in her country for help and is requesting safe passage to the United States."

Fury took a second to digest the information he was just given.

"Tell her that help will be there at 9:00 pm sharp, we will not wait if she is not ready by then." Fury responded. "Send Agent Coulson along with two or three other agents and tell no one else of this mission."

**Norta - 9:05 pm (May 31, 301 (Nortan Calendar))**

_Where were they?_

Coriane had sent out a distress call to the organization called S.H.I.E.L.D in America. She had only heard about them, she didn't even think they would respond. But they did. They had told her to be ready to leave by 9:00 pm sharp and that they would leave without her if she was not ready. It was now 9:05, she had been ready since 8:30, even dismissed herself from dinner early, and they were not here.

She paced back and forth in her room some more. She wore black leather pants, a black turtle neck sweater, and black combat boots. The only jewelry she wore was her wedding ring, which she refused to leave behind. She had a small book bag that held her diary and a few engineering manuals, it was all she really needed. Her goodbye and apology letter to Tibe sat on her writing desk, along with her letter to Cal explaining why she could not be in his life. It pained her to leave him, but it was the only way Coriane could think of to set herself free of Elara's grasp.

Another five minutes passed by, Coriane's pale blue eyes shot to the door then the window. They were now ten minutes late.

_Where were they? _She thought to her self again. _Why are they late?_

Suddenly the cover of the air vent on her ceiling clattered to the ground and three men dressed in black uniforms dropped down on grappling hooks. Coriane stood there shocked. She had not thought that they might come through the vents.

"Your Majesty," One of the men, who appeared to be the leader, said. "I'm Agent Phil Coulson from S.H.I.E.L.D. We're here to take you to the United States of America."

She couldn't believe it, they had actually come.


	2. Chapter 2

**Norta, Hall of the Sun - 8:00 am (August 3, 320)**

About a week ago one of S.H.I.E.L.D's spies in Norta had reported suspicious activity involving Queen Elara. Almost immediately Fury assigned Natasha Romanoff a mission to go undercover as a red servant by the name of Mare Barrow to keep an eye on the notorious queen from directly inside the palace.

Now Natasha was following a red servant by the name of Ann Walsh through the tangled crowd of servants in the Hall of the Sun. They walked for a few minutes in silence, then Walsh leaned in and whispered some advice to Natasha.

"Say nothing. Hear nothing. Speak to no one, for they will not speak to you." Natasha raised an eyebrow, acknowledging the woman's advice, though she already knew this. Despite being told to hear nothing, Natasha planned on hearing everything.

"You came on a busy day, perhaps the worst we will ever see." Walsh continued.

_There's always something happening when I come._ The spy thought to herself.

"I saw the boats and airships - Silvers have been going upriver for weeks," Natasha responded, thinking back on the information that she had been given before she left. "More than usual, even for this time of year."

Walsh didn't respond, she just continued walking.

"What's happening today?" Natasha asked. She already knew the answer to this, but asked anyway. Based on the look from Walsh, she had made a mistake. "Is that a stupid question?" She added quickly, hoping to fix her mistake.

"No, I didn't know about it either, not until we started preparing. After all, they haven't had one for twenty years, since Queen Elara was selected. Today is Queenstrial. The daughters of the High Houses, the great Silver families, have all come to offer themselves to the crown prince. There's a big feast tonight, but now they're in the Spiral Garden, preparing to present, hoping to be chosen. One of those girls gets to be the next queen, and they're slapping each other silly for the chance." Natasha listened carefully to the information spilling from Walsh's mouth, information that she already knew.

"What about the other prince, is his wife chosen through the Queenstrial?" Natasha asked. That was a question she had ever since she was debriefed for the mission, a question that was still unanswered.

Walsh frowned, taking a second to think. "I really don't know," she responded finally, pushing a tray of glittering cups into Natasha's hands. "But, you're on serving duty, so you'll get to see for yourself."

With that, Walsh began to walk away.

**Natasha's POV**

"Wait, aren't you coming?" I could hear the desperation in my voice, not because I wanted Walsh to stay with me, but because I had no clue how to find my way around the palace. But she continued backing away, leaving me alone.

I looked down at my red uniform. Sighing, I forced myself forward, through the doors and out into the sunlight of what was called the Spiral Garden.

As I entered, I looked around, evaluating the space. It looked like an arena. The space curved downward into an immense bowl, tables and plush chairs crowded the spiral of terraces. Plants and fountains trickled down the steps, dividing the terraces into boxes. They joined at the bottom, decorating a grassy circle ringed with stone statues. Ahead of me was a boxed area dripping with red and black silk. Four seats, each one made of unforgiving iron, looked down on the floor. That box had to be where the royal family would sit.

I made a mental note to carefully watch that particular box throughout the event, Elara was sure to sit there.

About half an hour of prepping for Queenstrial later, I followed the other servants to an elevated platform surrounded by sheer curtains. Just as I settled into place, another set of doors opened, directly between the royal box and the servants' entrance.

The Silver High Houses entered as a crowd, in a flock of colors that split around the Spiral Garden with cold grace. The different families, or houses, were easy to spot; they all wore the same colors as each other. Purple, green, black, yellow, a rainbow of shades moved toward their family boxes. I quickly lost count of them all, and as a spy that's not a good thing.

More and more joined the crowd, some stopping to talk, others embracing with stiff arms. This was a party for them. Most probably had little hope to put forth a queen and this was just a vacation. But a few didn't look to be in the celebrating mood. A silver-haired family in black silk sat in focused silence to the right of the royal family's box. The lord of the house had a pointed beard and black eyes. House Samos, I remembered them from when I was debriefed, they were a powerful and well respected high house, members of their house were magnetrons, meaning that they could control and manipulate metal. I made a note to stay away from them, if they detected the gun that I had hidden on me I was done for.

Occasionally, someone pressed a square metal button on their table to flick a light, indicating that they required a servant. Whoever was closest to the door attended to them, and the rest of us shuffled along, waiting for our turn to serve. Of course, the second I moved next to the door, the wretched Lord Samos slapped the button on his table.

_Just my luck._

Thank God for my quick feet. I nearly skipped through the crowd, dancing between roving bodies as my heart hammered in my chest in fear of being caught.

"Sir?" I asked, immediately regretting it. _Say nothing_ was the first rule, and I had already broken it.

Thankfully he doesn't notice. "They're toying with us, Ptolemus," he grumbled to the muscled young man next to him. I assumed he was Ptolemus, and therefore heir of House Samos.

"A demonstration of power, Father," Ptolemus replied, draining his own glass. He held it out to me, and I took it without hesitation. "They make us wait because they can."

_They_ were the royals who had yet to make an appearance. They were the whole reason that I was here, specifically the queen.

I wanted to stay and listen to gather more information, but even I knew that was against the rules. I turned around, climbing a flight of steps out of their box. There's a sink hidden behind some brightly colored flowers, probably so I didn't have to go all the way back around the Spiral Garden to refill their drinks. That's when a metallic, sharp tone reverberated through the space, much like a PA system. It chirped a few times, sounding out a proud melody, heralding what must be the entrance of the king. All around, the High Houses rose to their feet, begrudgingly or not. I noticed Ptolemus muttered something to his father again. I wonder what he said.

From my vantage point, hidden behind the flowers, I was level with the king's box and slightly behind it. The perfect spot for a spy like me to gather information without getting caught.

The king entered briskly, shoulders set and straight. His uniform was black and red, with a military cut, though I doubt he had ever spent a single day in the trenches. Badges and medals glittered on his breast, a testament to things he had never done. He even wore a gilded sword despite the many guards around him. The crown on his head was made of twisted red, gold, and black iron, each point a burst of curling flame. It seemed to burn against his inky black hair flecked with grey. How fitting, for the king was a burner, as was his father, and his father before him, and so on. Destructive, powerful controllers of heat and fire. His name had been burned into my memory over the past week. _Tiberias Calore the Sixth, King of Norta, Flame of the North_. A mouthful if there ever was one. However, I knew him better by the name Cori always called him. _Tibe_.

The queen followed him, nodding at the crowd. I stopped what I was doing to watch her. Whereas Tibe's clothes were dark and severely cut, her navy and white garb was airy and light. She bowed only to House Merandus. Queen Elara was a very skilled whisper from House Merandus, which meant that she could read and control minds. Cori had told me that her precision was perfect and that if she entered your mind, you wouldn't be able to feel it. She had ash-blond hair, blue eyes, and a pointed smile, making her look like a wild, predatory cat. My job was to watch her and find out what she was up to, without getting her attention.

As intimidating as the royals seemed, they were nothing compared to the guards who followed them. Even though I wasn't a native of the country, I knew who they were. They were the Sentinels, the king's personal guards. They flanked the king in every broadcast, at every speech or decree. Their uniforms looked like flames, flickering between red and orange, and their eyes glittered behind fearsome black masks. Each one carried a black rifle tipped with a gleaming silver bayonet that could cut bone. Their skills were even more frightening than their appearances - elite warriors from different Sliver houses, trained from childhood, sworn to the king and his family for their entire lives. I wonder if they would defend Cori if she returned, or would they side with Elara?

Somewhere deep in the boxes, yelling started. "Death to the Scarlet Guard!" someone shouted, and the others quickly chimed in.

Tibe looked ruffled, paling at the noise. He wasn't used to outbursts like this and almost snarled at the shouts.

"The Scarlet Guard - and all our enemies - are being dealt with!" Tibe rumbled, his voice echoing out among the crowd. It silenced them like the crack of a whip. _Are you sure about that Tibe?_ I think to myself with a smirk. "But that is not what we are here to address. Today we honor tradition, and no Red devil will impede that. Now is the rite of Queenstrial, to bring forth the most talented daughter to wed the most noble son. In this we find strength, to bind the High Houses, and power, to ensure Silver rule until the end of days, to defeat our enemies, on the borders, and within them."

"Strength," the crowd rumbled back at him. They sounded like a cult, and it was frightening. "Power."

"The time has come again to uphold this ideal, and both my sons honor our most solemn custom." He waves a hand, and two figures stepped forward, flanking their father. I couldn't see their faces, but both were tall and black-haired, like the king. They too wore military uniforms. "The Prince Maven, of House Calore and Merandus, son of my royal wife, the Queen Elara."

The second prince, paler and slighter than the other one, raised a hand in stern greeting. He turned left and right, and I caught a glimpse of his face. Though he had a regal, serious look to him, he couldn't be more than seventeen. Sharp-featured and blue-eyed, he could freeze fire with his smile - he despised this pageantry.

"And the crown prince of House Calore and Jacos, son of my late wife, the Queen Coriane, heir to the Kingdom of Norta and the Burning Crown, Tiberias the Seventh."

I paused at the king's statement. _"Son of my _late _wife..."_ But Cori wasn't dead, had Tibe miss interpret the letter she had left him twenty years ago as a suicide letter?


	3. Chapter 3

**Norta, Hall of the Sun**

**Evangeline's POV**

I stood in a corner of the prep room that was beneath the Spiral Garden waiting for Queenstrial to start. I already knew I would win, and so did the other girls. The real question was which of the other girls would marry Prince Maven.

From above I could hear the king's voice booming through the Spiral Garden as he spoke. "All of you have come to honor my son and the kingdom, and so I honor you." I rolled my eyes in annoyance, he had been talking for at least five minutes and I was starting to get impatient.

_Yes, we have all come to honor your son,_ I thought to my self. _Now shut up and start the Queenstrial so that we can _actually _honor him!_ I wish Elane was here to keep me company, but since she is already betrothed to my brother, she isn't competing in Queenstrial.

"I honor your right to rule." The king continued. "The future king, the son of my son, will be of your silverblood, as he will be of mine. Who will claim their right?" How nice of the king to assume that I will give birth to a son and not a daughter.

Father was the first to answer the king's question. "I claim Queenstrial!"

The other lords who had daughters competing did the same, shouting in unison. "I claim Queenstrial!" They echoed.

"Then it has begun. Lord Provos, if you would." I could hear the Garden turning into an arena. It took less than a minute, the time it should have taken the king to give his little speech. The hum of electricity began to rise, signaling that the lightning shield was turned on, protecting the audience from any flying debris from our performances. I hear the humming stop as the lightning freezes and solidifies. At last the floor opens and Rohr rises up into the arena on a platform.

"Rohr, of House Rhambos," her family shouts, announcing her to the world. After that, the event blows by in a whirlwind, and before I know it, I'm mounting the platform for my turn. After I'm fully in the arena, I take a few seconds to let my eyes adjust to the sunlight and observe my surroundings. The arena was completely destroyed. There were scorch marks on the ground, the statues that once ringed the arena were now nothing but dust.

"Evangeline, of House Samos," Father yells. He speaks alone, and his voice echoes across the Spiral Garden.

While the other girls wore silk dresses and occasionally armor, I wore an outfit of black leather. My jacket, pants, and boots were all studded with hard iron. Other houses cheer for me with my family. I have already won their favor. I salute, two fingers to my brow, first to my family and then to the royal family. They return the gesture, it's all I need to confirm that I have already won.

"Magnetron," Father says, stating my ability though everyone already knew what it was.

I take a minute, prowling across the floor, to look for Elane. Eventually, I find her in a box with the rest of House Haven. She makes eye contact with me, a small smile playing on her lips, and nods.

I concentrate on the iron studs on my clothes, summoning them into the air around me. Then I send them rocketing away from me. They dig into the dust, the walls, and the lightning shield.

I smirk as several houses applaud me, any magnetron could have done that. With that in mind, I shift my concentration to the metal piping running far beneath the palace. Groans and clanks echo up to everyone from somewhere deep down in the structure of the Spiral Garden. I can feel the ground vibrating beneath my feet. Everyone stops what they're doing, confused and intrigued.

With an earth-shattering noise, metal pipes splinter the floor of the arena, rising up from far below. They burst through the walls, surrounding me in a twisted crown of gray and silver metal. Sparks fall from the lightning shield, I effortlessly protect myself with a scrap of metal. After that I let the metal drop, it hits the ground with a loud smash. I turn my eyes skyward to the boxes above me. I can feel the metal skeletons of the boxes and get an idea.

Slowly at first, I start to tip the boxes of the first row. I can hear the plates crashing to the ground of the boxes. Glass cups tumble over the rails and shatter on the lightning shield. I furrow my brow in concentration, directing the metal with my hand.

Suddenly I see a blur of red tumble over the rail of House Laris's box. A red servant.

_Shoot._

Killing someone was not what I had planned, red or silver.

The lightning shield hisses with electricity as the servant hits it. The shield does its job, lighting them up with bolts of electricity. Their uniform burns, scorched and smoking. I expect their skin to do the same thing, but instead the lightning simply glides over them. Cloth burns away, charred black by the heat, but their skin doesn't change.

Something is wrong.

The shield gives off a black smoke, starting to splinter and crack. The sparks are brighter, angrier, but weakening. The servant, a woman I realize, tries to push herself up, to get to her feet, but the shield shatters and she falls yet again.

The red woman lands in a pile of dust. Above us, murmurs and gasps echo through the Spiral Garden as she struggles to her feet. Her once red uniform is black now, barely holding together in a charred mess. She has brilliant wavy red hair that falls just past her shoulders and deep green eyes. Her skin tone is fairly light for a Red. She has a deadly air about her. And though she is disoriented, her expression has a serious and dangerous look to it, like she knows how to kill someone in 50 different ways. Right now, that _someone_ might be me. As pieces of her uniform flake off the sunlight glints off something on her hip. It's a gun, I can feel its steel structure and the lead bullets loaded in the weapon. Why does a red servant have a gun?

I stare at her, wide-eyed. That shield should have killed her and yet she stands in front of me, still alive. She stares back at me suspiciously. Her eyes wander up and down my body, evaluating me. Her behavior only confuses me more, most red servants didn't act like this.

"Hi," she says suddenly.

I respond with a flurry of metal shards, all of them sharp and deadly, pointed at her heart as they rip through the air.

Her reflexes are razor-sharp as she throws up her hands, probably hoping to save herself from the worst of it.

I have zero time to prepare myself for what happens next. Instead of catching the knives I threw at her, a jet of light - no, _lightning_ \- erupts from her hands, blazing through the metal. The pieces shriek and smoke, bursting apart in the heat. I lose control of them and they fall harmlessly to the ground as the lightning blasts into the wall behind me. It leaves a smoking hole four feet wide, barely missing me.

**Natasha's POV**

_What the hell!_

Evangeline's mouth falls open in shock. I'm sure I look the same as I stare at my hands, wondering what on earth just happened to me. High above, a hundred of the most powerful Silvers wonder the same thing. I look up to see them all peering at me, including the queen. Well so much for spying on her without getting her attention, because now I'm sure I had all of it.

Tibe leans over the edge of his box, his flaming crown silhouetted against the sky. Cori's son, Cal, is right next to him, staring down at me with wide eyes.

"Sentinels."

Tibe's voice is sharp as a razor, full of menace. I know that's my cue to run.

Before Tibe can give the guards dressed in red-orange uniforms another order, I bolt, pushing past the stunned Evangeline to slide feet first into the still-open hatch in the floor.

"Seize her!" echoes behind me as I drop into the semi darkness of the chamber below. I don't think, I just run, clueless to where I'm going. I can feel the cameras, hunting like the Sentinels not so far behind me.

If I could get outside the city I might have a chance of getting back to S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ alive.

"Jacos, come in," I shout to what seems like nothing, but the mic built into my earpiece picks up on everything I say.

"Agent Romanoff?" Cori's voice comes in through my earpiece.

"I need back up," I respond. "I've got Elara's attention."

"Get out of the palace. I'll send a Quinjet to come get you."

A blast of gunfire explodes over my head as I approach the first set of stairs that I find, forcing me to drop to the floor. Two Sentinels, their uniforms the color of fire, crash through a mirror and charge at me. _They're just like security guards,_ I tell myself. _Just bumbling officers who don't know you. They don't know what you can do._

_I don't know what I can do._

They expect me to run so I do the opposite, storming the pair of them. I would have pulled out my gun, but that Evangeline must have discovered it because when I reached for it, it wasn't there. The Sentinels have guns of their own. Their guns are big and powerful, but bulky. Before they can get them up to shoot, stab, or both, I drop to my knees on the smooth marble floor, sliding between the two giants. One of them shouts after me, his voice exploding another mirror in a storm of glass. _A_ _banshee._ By the time they manage to change directions, I'm already off and running again.

When I find a window, it's a blessing and a curse. I skid to stop in front of a giant pane of diamondglass, looking out to the vast forest. It's right there, just on the other side, just beyond an impenetrable wall.

_All right hands, now might be a good time to do your thing._ Nothing happens, of course.

A blaze of heat takes by surprise. Before they can capture me, I yank my earpiece out. Throwing it to the ground, I smash it beneath my foot. I turn to see an approaching wall of red and orange and I know - the Sentinels have found me. But the wall is hot, flickering, almost solid. _Fire._ And coming right at me.

I turn to run but instead collide with a broad wall of black fabric. Strong arms wrap around me, holding me still when I try to squirm away. _Shock him, light him up,_ I scream in my head. But nothing happens. The miracle isn't going to save me again.

The heat grows, threatening to crush the air from my lungs. I survived lightning today; I don't want to press my luck with fire.

But it's the smoke that's going to kill me. Thick and black and much too strong, choking me. My vision swirls, and my eyelids grow heavy. I hear footsteps, shouting, the roar of fire as the world darkens.

"I'm sorry," I hear a male's voice say. I think I'm dreaming.

I'm asleep, but I can still feel her in my head, searching my memories. I know I'm screwed, and so is Cori when Elara finds my memories of her. I fear for when she finds my memories of the Red Room, that is the last place I ever want to re-visit.

However, the memories that form are not my memories, but what I had imagined Mare's past was like when I had been given my fake identity file for this mission. _This is impossible._ No one could lie to a whisper, and yet it came so easily, lying to Elara and feeding her false memories.

"Impossible," a voice says to me. The voice is so sharp, I fear it might crack my skull. I fall to my knees, colliding with what feels like concrete.

And then they're gone. The false memories, gone. Concrete and steel bars rise around me. _A cage._

I struggle to my feet, one hand on my aching head as things come into focus. A figure stares at me from beyond the bars. A crown glitters on her head.

"I'd bow, but I might fall over," I say to Queen Elara.

She doesn't look offended. Instead, she smirks. I feel her ability radiating from her, I can hear the order to bow echoing in the air, but I can also feel the shield that my mind produces, protecting me from her deadly ability. I realize that she's already suspicious of me, and I don't need to give her more reasons to be suspicious. Reluctantly, I let her in.

A wave of nausea washes over me when I meet her eyes, and I double over again.

"That looks like a bow to me," she purrs, enjoying my pain.

I fight the urge to vomit and reach out to grab the bars. My fist clenches around cold steel. "What are you doing to me?"

"Not much of anything anymore. But this -" She reaches through the bars to touch my temple. The pain triples beneath her finger, and I fall against the bars, barely conscious enough to hold on. "This is to keep you from doing anything silly."

"Like stand on my own two feet?" I manage to spit out. I can hardly think through the pain, let alone be polite, but still I manage to hold back a stream of curses.

"Like electrocute something," she snaps.

The pain ebbs, giving me enough strength to make it to the metal bench. When I rest my head against the cool stone wall, her words sink in. _Electrocute._

The memory flashes across my mind, coming back in jagged pieces. Evangeline, the lightning shield, the sparks, and me. _It's not possible._

"You are not Silver. Your parents are Red, you are Red, and your blood is red," the queen murmurs, prowling before the bars of my cage. "You are a miracle, Mare Barrow, an impossibility. Something even I can't understand, and I have seen all of you."

But she hadn't seen any of me, she saw what I wanted her to see. I decide that I have to play along if I want to come out of this alive. "That was you?" I almost screech, reaching up to cradle my head again. "You were in my mind? My memories? My _nightmares_?"

"If you know someone's fear, you know them." She blinks at me like I'm some stupid creature. I want to slap her, how could she think I was so stupid to not know this, it was one of the many things I was taught in the Red Room. "And I had to know what it is we're dealing with."

"I am not an _it_."

"What you are remains to be seen. But be thankful for one thing little lightning girl," she sneers, putting her face against the bars. The nickname is like a slap in the face.

A smirk spreads across my lips. I get up, despite the pain, and walk towards her. "And what would that be?" I ask, leaning towards her as I cock an eyebrow up.

"You did that in front of hundreds of Silvers, people who will ask questions, people with power," she hisses in my ear, her sickly sweet breath washing over my face. "That is the only reason you are still alive."

"You sit on a throne of lies," I snarl. She doesn't deny it. My hands clench, and I wish for the lightning again, but it doesn't come. She knows what I'm doing and laughs openly. She turns to go in a swirl of rustling silk, leaving me well and truly alone in the cell. I barely make it back to the bench, fighting the urge to throw up.

Exhaustion comes over me in waves, starting in my muscles and sinking into my bones. I am only human, and humans aren't supposed to deal with days like today. With a jolt, I realize my wrist is bare. The red band I had been given to denote my blood status when I got here this morning is gone, taken away. What could that mean? Tears sting my eyes, threatening to fall, but I will not cry. I have that much pride left.

I can fight the tears but not the questions. Not the doubt growing in my heart.

_What's happening to me?_

_What am I?_


	4. Chapter 4

**Norta, Hall of the Sun**

**Natasha's POV:**

I open my eyes to see a Security officer staring at me from the other side of the bars. His silver buttons shine in the low light, but they're nothing compared to the glare bouncing off his bald head.

I decided now would be a good time to play the part of the scared little red girl. "You have to tell my family where I am," I blurt out, sitting straight up.

"I don't have to do anything but take you upstairs," he replies, but without much bite. The officer is a pillar of calm. "Change your clothes."

Suddenly, I realize I still have a half-burned uniform hanging off me. The officer points at a neat pile of clothes near the bars. He turns his back, allowing me some semblance of privacy.

The clothes are plain but fine. A long-sleeved white shirt and black pants, both of them decorated with a single silver stripe down each side. There are shoes as well, black oiled boots that rise to my knees.

"All right," I grumble, fighting the last boot up my leg. As it slides into place, the officer turns around. I don't hear the jingle of keys, but then, I don't see a lock. How he plans to let me out off my doorless cage, I'm not sure.

But instead of opening some hidden gate, his hand twitches, and the metal bars bow open. Of course. The jailor would be a -

"Magnetron, yes," he says, seeing the expression on my face. "And in case you were wondering, the girl you nearly fried is a cousin."

I almost choke on the air in my lungs, not knowing how to respond. "I'm sorry." It sounds like a question.

"Be sorry you missed her," he replies without a hint of jest. "Evangeline is a bitch."

"Noted," I respond.

"I'm Lucas Samos," he says. "Follow me." I don't have to ask to know I have no other choice in the matter.

He leads me out of my cell and up a winding staircase, to no less than twelve Security officers. Without a word, they surround me in a well-practiced formation and force me along with them. Lucas stays by me, marching in time with the others. They keep their guns in hand, as if ready for battle. Something tells me the men aren't here to defend me but to protect everyone else.

When we reach the more beautiful upper levels, the glass walls are strangely black. Tinted, I tell myself, remembering what Cori said about the Hall of the Sun. The diamondglass can darken on the command of a shadow to hide what shouldn't be seen. Obviously, I must fall into that category.

I notice a red-haired officer that must be a shadow, waving her hand at every wall we pass. I quickly plaster an expression of awe on my face, remembering that I'm not supposed to have seen stuff like this before.

Lucas must notice, because he leans in and whispers, "She's a shadow, a bender of light."

There are cameras here as well. My skin crawls, feeling their electric gaze running over my bones. I have always been aware of the presence of security cameras, it was in my training to know how to spot them, but I have never felt their presence. Something in the shield has changed me. Or maybe it released something, revealing a part myself locked away for so long. What am I? echoes in my head again, more threatening than before.

Only when we pass through a monstrous set of doors does the electric sensation pass. The eyes cannot see me here. The chamber inside is the throne room. And directly across from me, his fiery gaze burning into mine, is Tibe, sitting on a diamondglass throne carved into an inferno. Behind him, a window full of daylight quickly fades to black. It might be the last sun I'll ever see.

Lucas and the other officers march me forward, but they don't stay for long. With nothing but a backward glance, Lucas leads the others out.

Tibe sits before me, Elara standing on his left, the princes on his right. I refuse to look at Cal, but I know he must be gawking at me. He has no idea that I know his mother or that she's alive. I keep my gaze on my new boots, focusing on my toes so I don't give over to the fear turning my body to lead.

"You will kneel," Elara murmurs. Her voice soft as velvet.

I should kneel, but my pride won't let me. Even here, in front of Silvers, in front of the king, my knees do not bend. "I will not," I say, finding the strength to look up.

"Do you enjoy your cell, girl?" Tibe says, his kingly voice filling the room. The threat in his words is plain as day, but I still stand. He cocks his head, staring at me like I'm an experiment to puzzle over. I wish I could tell him that Coriane was alive. Not only because it might save me from certain doom, but it would get rid of the awful woman who is currently sitting on the throne and the people of Norta would have a queen that they deserved. However, Fury had made it quite clear that I was to, under no circumstances, mention her to anyone.

"What do you want with me?" I ask.

Elara leans down next to him. "I told you, she's Red through and through - " But Tibe waves her off like he would a fly. She purses lips and draws back, hands clasped tightly together. Serves her right.

"What I want concerning you is impossible," Tibe snaps. His glare smolders, like he's trying to burn me up.

I remember the queen's words. "Well, I'm sorry you can't kill me."

The king chuckles. "They didn't say you were quick."

Dread floods through me. The longer I stayed here, the longer I had Elara's attention, the higher my chances of getting caught were.

Tibe throws down a stack of papers, all of them covered in writing. I recognize them as the files on my personal information, well, Mare's personal information to be exact. The top sheet has the usual information, including my name, birth date, parents, and the little brown smear that is my blood. My picture is there too, the one on my identification card. I stare down at myself, into bored eyes. How I wish I could jump into the photo, into the girl that was a spy with no attention-grabbing abilities.

"Mare Molly Barrow, born November seventeenth, 302 of the New Era, to Daniel and Ruth Barrow," Tibe recites from memory, laying what's supposed to be my life bare. "You have no occupation and are scheduled for conscription on your next birthday. You attend school sparingly, your academic test scores are low, and you have a list of offenses that would land you in prison in many cities. Thievery, smuggling, resisting arrest, to name a few. All together you are poor, rude, immoral, unintelligent, impoverished, bitter, stubborn, and a blight upon your village and my kingdom."

I stand there entirely shocked by his blunt words and the fact that they believed what the file said, Elara actually believed the false memories that I showed her. I don't argue though, according to the file I was given before I came here, he's entirely right. But saying otherwise would get me into more trouble than I was already in, it would also risk blowing my cover.

"And yet," he continues, rising to his feet. This close, I can see his crown is deathly sharp. The points can kill. "You are also something else," Yes, I am. Something else entirely. "Something I cannot fathom. You are Red and Silver both, a peculiarity with deadly consequences you cannot understand. So what am I to do with you?"

Is he asking me? "You could let me go. I wouldn't say a word. And for the record, I understand a lot more than you think I do," I respond calmly. The file said that I was supposedly unintelligent, not that I couldn't understand stuff.

The queen's sharp laughter cuts me off. "And what the High Houses? Will they keep silent as well? Will they forget the little lightning girl in a red uniform?"

No. No one will.

"You know my advice, Tiberias," the queen adds, her eyes on the king. "And it will solve both our problems."

It must be bad advice, bad for me, because Cal clenches a fist. The movement draws my eye, and I finally look at him fully, the son of one of my best friends. He remains still, stoic and quiet, as I'm sure he's been trained to do, but fire burns behind his eyes. For a moment, he meets my gaze, but I look away.

"Yes, Elara," the king says, nodding at his wife. "We cannot kill you, Mare Barrow." Not yet hangs in the air. "So we are going to hide you in plain sight where we can watch you, protect you, and attempt to understand you."

The way his eyes gleam makes me feel like a meal about to be devoured.

"Father!" The word bursts from Cal, but his brother-the paler, leaner prince-grabs him by the arm, holding him back from protesting further. He has a calming effect, and Cal steps back in line.

Tiberias goes on, ignoring his son. "You are no longer Mare Barrow, a Red daughter of the Stilts."

Anger flared in me. He had no authority to give me a new fake identity, that power belonged to Fury and Fury alone. "Then who am I?" I manage to force out, reminding myself that they still had yet to figure out that Mare Barrow wasn't a real person.

"You are Mareena Titanos. Your father was Ethan Titanos, general of the Iron Legion, killed when you were an infant. A soldier, a Red man, took you for his own and raised you in the dirt, never telling you your true parentage. You grew up believing you were nothing, and now, thanks to chance, you are made whole again." I resist the urge to facepalm. There were so many ways this could go wrong, so many ways for someone to discover the truth. "You are Silver, a lady of a lost High House, a noble with great power, and one day, a princess of Norta."

Try as I might, I can't hold back a surprised yelp. "A Silver-a princess?"

My eyes betray me, flying to Cal. A princess must marry a prince.

"You will marry my son Maven, and you'll do it without putting a toe out of line."

I don't respond, I just stand there, speechless. In front of me, the younger prince looks equally confused, sputtering just as loudly as I want to. This time, it's Cal's turn to restrain him, though his eyes are on me.

The young prince manages to find his voice. "I don't understand," he blurts out, shrugging off Cal. He takes quick steps toward his father. "She's - why - ?" Usually I'd be offended, but I have to agree with the prince's reservations. The idea of having Elara as a mother-in-law didn't sound very appealing to me.

"Quiet," his mother snaps. "You will obey."

He glares at her, every inch the young son rebelling against his parents. But his mother hardens, and the prince backs down, knowing her wrath and power as well as I do.

My voice is faint, barely audible. "This seems a bit...much." There's simply no other way to describe it without criticizing the plan. "You don't want to make me a lady, much less a princess."

Tiberias's face cracks into a grim smile. Like the queen, his teeth are blindingly white. "Oh, but I do, my dear. For the first time in your rudimentary life, you have a purpose." The jab feels like a slap across the face. "Here we are, in the early stages of a badly timed rebellion, with terrorist groups or freedom fighters, or whatever the hell these idiotic Red fools call themselves, blowing things up in the name of equality."

"The Scarlet Guard," I offer. "They bombed -"

"The capital, yes." The king shrugs, scratching his neck.

My years of training have taught me many things. Who knows the most information, who won't notice you, and what liars look like. The king is a liar, I realize, watching as he forces another shrug. He's trying to be dismissive, and it's just not working. Something has him scared of the Scarlet Guard. Something much bigger than a few explosions.

"I missed the part where that's my problem."

"I'll tell you how it's your problem," he continues, leaning forward. "You might be able to help us stop there from being any more."

I scoff. "Wait, so you think that if I agree to this 'very foolproof' plan of yours and marry your son, the Scarlet Guard will just lay down their weapons, throw some shackles on their wrists and ankles, and join hands with their Silver overlords, singing kumbaya?" I stare at the king, daring him to answer the question. He doesn't. "Well, I hate to break it to you, Your Majesty, but rebellions don't give up that easily. If you had done your job, you would have recognized the potential threat and stopped it before it actually became one instead of ignoring it," I retort, my voice dripping with acid.

Tiberias stares at me, shocked that I would ever dare speak to him like that. Not even Elara knows how to respond.

After about a minute of awkward silence, the king finally finds his voice. "It'll work," he says faintly.

"By marrying - sorry what's your name again?"

The younger prince's cheeks go white in a blush. "My name is Maven," he says, his voice soft and quiet. Like Cal and his father, his hair is glossy black, but the similarities end there. While they are broad and muscled, Maven is lean, with eyes like clear water. "And I still don't understand."

Cal cuts into an explanation immediately. "What Father is trying to say is that she represents an opportunity for us -"

"No kidding," I interrupt.

Cal ignores me. "- If the Reds see her a Silver by blood but Red by nature, raised up with us, they can be placated. It's like an old fairy tale, a commoner becoming the princess. She's their champion. They can look to her instead of terrorists." And then, softer, but more important than anything else: "She's a distraction."

But this isn't a fairy tale, or even a dream. This is a nightmare. I'm being locked away for the rest of my life, forced into being someone else. Into being a puppet. A show to keep people happy, quiet, and trampled.

"And if we get the story right, the High Houses will be satisfied too. You're the lost daughter of a war hero. What better honor can we give you?"

"And if I refuse?"

"This isn't a request, Lady Mareena Titanos," Tiberias says. He uses my new name, my new title. "You will go through with this, and you will do it properly."

Queen Elara turns her pale eyes on me. "You will live here as is the custom for royal brides. Every day will be scheduled at my discretion and you will be tutored in everything and anything possible to make you" - she searches for the word, chewing on her lip - "suitable. You will be scrutinized. From now on you live on the edge of a knife. One false step, one wrong word, and you will suffer for it."

My throat tightens, like I can feel the chains the king and queen are wrapping around me. "Fine."


	5. Chapter 5

**Norta, Hall of the Sun**

**Natasha's POV:**

Lady Mareena Titanos, born _to Lady Nolle Titanos and Lord Ethan Titanos, general of the Iron Legion. Heiress to House Titanos. Mareena Titanos. Titanos._

My new name echoes in my head as the Red maids prepare me for the coming onslaught.

I look at myself in a mirror as three maids get me ready for tonight. I watch my old self disappear before my eyes as they paint my face, arms, neck, and any other parts of my skin that would be exposed with a thick, shimmery, wet, white paste. Their movements are quick and precise, and they work in silence. _Speak to no one,_ I remember. They aren't allowed to speak to me.

The paste allows for no color to seep through. It's not supposed to, hiding the natural red color in my skin and making me appear Silver.

When the maids finish, I don't recognize the person staring back at me in the mirror. I look cold, cruel, a living razor. I look beautiful. And I hate it.

_How long will this last? Betrothed to a prince._ Even in my head it sounds crazy. _Because it is. No Silver here in their right mind would marry you, let alone a prince of Norta. Not to calm a rebellion, not to hide your identity, not for anything._

_Then why do this?_

When the maids pinch and pull me into a gown, I feel like a corpse being dressed for her funeral. I know it's not far from the truth. Red girls don't marry Silver princes in Norta. I will never wear a crown or sit on a throne. Something will happen, an _accident_ maybe. A lie will raise me up, and one day another lie will bring me down.

"The color suits you," states a voice behind me. I see Cal standing in the doorway from my mirror. My maids leave the room quickly, bowing on their way out.

"I'm sort of new to this royal thing, but I'm not sure you're supposed to be here. In my room."

We stand there for a minute, neither of us knowing quite what to say. "I'm sorry," Cal says, finally. The meaning of his words hit me hard. The words resound in my head, echoing off a memory.

_The wall of fire. The choking smoke. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry._

"THAT WAS YOU!" I shout, wiping around to face him. Cal takes a step back, clearly not expecting my outburst. "You're the reason why I'm in this mess!" I continue, pointing an accusing finger at him.

"I didn't think this would happen, Mare." He uses the name that S.H.I.E.L.D. gave me.

"Don't call me that, my name's Mareena, remember?"

"Then it's a good thing Mare's a suitable nickname."

Cal's eyes rake over me. "How do you like Lucas?" he finally says, clearly trying to change the subject.

The Samos guard, the first decent Silver I've met here. "He's all right, I suppose." Perhaps the queen will take him away if I reveal how gentle the officer was to me.

"Lucas is a good man. His family thinks him weak for his kindness," he adds, eyes darkening a little. As if he knows the feeling. "But he'll serve you well, and fairly. I'll make sure of it."

_How thoughtful. He's given me a kind jailer._ But I bite my tongue. It won't do any good to snap at his mercy. "Thank you, Your Highness."

The spark returns to his eyes, and a smirk to his lips. "You know my name is Cal."

"No, actually I don't, considering that I just met you today," I retort, lying with ease.

"Well, now you do." He pauses for a moment. "I'm sorry," he says again.

"Are you sorry for stopping my one chance of escape?"

"You mean if you got past the Sentinels, Security, the walls, the woods, back to your village to wait until the queen herself hunted you down?" he replies, taking my accusations in stride. "Stopping you was the best thing for you _and_ your family."

"I could've gotten away. You don't know me."

"I know the queen would tear the world apart looking for the little lightning girl."

"What makes you think I would have remained in Norta?" He doesn't answer.

I crane my neck, looking at my new room for the first time since I came in. It's finer than anything I've ever seen - marble and glass, silk and feathers. The light has changed, shifting to the orange color of dusk. Night is coming. And with it, the rest of my life.

"I woke up this morning as one person," I mutter, more to myself than to him, "and now I'm supposed to be someone else entirely." _I used to be a spy, now I'm about to spend the rest of my life hiding as a princess._

"You can do this." I feel him take a step toward me, his heat filling the room in a way that makes my skin prickle. But I don't look up. I won't.

"How do you know?"

"Because you _must_." He bites his lip, eyes shifting over me. "As beautiful as this world is, it's just as dangerous. People who are not useful, people who make mistakes, they can be removed. _You_ can be removed."

"I figured that out already." If this was a dream I would wake up, but I don't. _This is really happening._ "What about me? About" - I hold out my hands, glaring at the infernal things - "this?"

In response, Cal smiles. "I think you'll get the hang of it."

Then he holds up his own bare hands. A strange contraption at his wrists, something like a bracelet with two metal ends, clicks, producing sparks. Instead of disappearing in a flash, the sparks glow and burst into red flame, giving off a blast of heat. _He's a burner, he can control heat and fire,_ I remember. _He's a prince, and a dangerous one at that._ But the flame disappears as quickly as it came, leaving only Cal's encouraging smile and the humming of cameras hidden somewhere, watching over everything.

**Evangeline's POV:**

I sit on my bed, thinking over what happened this morning. It made no sense, the woman was clearly a Red, but how did she blast lightning from her hands?

I looked down at the gun in my hands. I had taken it from her while she was running out of the Spiral Garden. Why did she have it on her, and more importantly, _where _did she get it from? I have looked at many different types and models of guns, but the one that the red woman had on her didn't match any of them.

Father and Tolly stopped by earlier to see if I was alright. Father seemed to care more about scolding me than showing some affection.

_~~start flashback~~_

"You didn't think to create a cage around the boxes or something that would the people occupying the boxed inside!" The door had only shut a minute ago and Father was already scolding me.

"That would have taken away from the effect," I stated indifferently.

"Well your lucky that the person who fell out was a Red, I doubt the king and queen would've been upset about the death of some insignificant Red girl, but if it had been someone from House Laris you could've lost the favor of the king and queen."

"And what about what the Red girl did? What will the king and queen do to her?"

"I'm sure they will punish her for her crimes, perhaps they'll even give her a public execution," Tolly says, speaking for the first time since he and Father entered my room.

"She was just trying to defend herself. I don't think she meant to attack me," I say, defending the Red servant. "I don't think she even knew that she was capable of shooting lightning from her hands, she looked just as confused as everyone else was." I don't know why, but I can't bear the thought of the Red lightning girl being killed for doing something she didn't know she could do.

"Well it's certainly interesting, the thought of a Red having abilities, but she will still be guilty of attacking a lady of the High Houses," Father says.

"Well, if it's okay with you, Father, I'm going to get some sleep before tonight." Father didn't say anything, he simply nodded and left. Tolly didn't follow.

"She didn't hurt you, did she?" Tolly asked after the door closed.

"No, I'm fine Tolly, just a bit shaken."

"Good, because if she did, I would personally go down to the cell that she's held in, and tear her to shreds."

I smiled at my brother, he was always protective me. "That wouldn't be necessary, even if she did hurt me."

"Well, if you're alright, then I'll leave and let you rest."

_~~end flashback~~_

Sighing, I tuck the weapon between my mattress and the box-spring. I could worry about identifying what type of gun it was later, right now I needed to get ready for tonight.

I walk over to my closet. The dress was already hung up by the door. The dress had straps that wrapped around my neck. Flakes of silver made up a top with a low V-neck line which ended at silver belt. The flakes of silver continued on the skirt fading into a black mesh that had what looked like a spider web pattern on it. Beneath the mesh was a silver metallic skirt that was made from satin.

I pair the dress with silver and gold heals, silver and black earrings, a silver ear cuff on my left ear, a pair of floral patterned metal gloves that had claws at the tips of the fingers, and a silver necklace.

After I'm done, I head down to one of the salons to have the maids do my hair and makeup.

I sit in a chair towards the front next to Father. In just a couple of minutes I'll be the future queen of Norta, betrothed to Cal. It might be an hour, though, if the royal family doesn't hurry up.

Finally, the king and queen enter onto their raised platform, with Cal and Maven following close behind. The brothers wear different outfits of red and black, both decorated with military medals. Cal stands to his father's right and Maven stands to his mother's left.

"The right of Queenstrial is always a joyous event, representing the future of our great kingdom and the bonds that keep us strongly united in the face of our enemies," the king says, addressing the crowd. "But as you saw today, Queenstrial has brought forth more than just the future queen."

_Actually, it nearly killed your future queen, but whatever floats your boat King Tiberias._

He turns to Elara, who clasps the king's hand in her own with a dutiful smile. "We all remember our bright hope against the darkness of war, out captain, our _friend_, the General Ethan Titanos," Elara says, taking over. The adults murmur over the room, in fondness or sadness. "He led the Iron Legion to victory, pushing back the lines of war that had stood for nearly a hundred years. The Lakelanders feared him; our soldiers loved him. Lakelander spies killed our beloved friend Ethan, sneaking across the lines to destroy our one hope for peace. His wife, the Lady Nora, a good and just woman, dies with him. On that fateful day sixteen years ago, House Titanos was lost. Friends were taken from us. Our blood was spilled."

Silence settles on the room as the queen pauses to dab at her eyes, wiping away what I know are fake, forced tears. I stifle a bored yawn, what did this dead general have to do with anything?

The queens gaze lands on something at the top of the stairs. I follow her gaze and nearly gasp. There, standing on the top of the stairs is the Red girl with the lightning, except she doesn't look like a Red anymore, her skin was a much lighter tone than it was this morning. She wore a strapless purple and silver ball gown. The top of the dress was purple with silver crystal embellishments and the skirt was a ruffled purple silk skirt that was layered with silver shear lace on top. She had a silver choker around her neck, silver lightning earrings dangling from her ears, and many silver bracelets on her left wrist. Her red hair was pulled up into a messy yet elegant bun. She had a natural smokey eye look with a natural lipstick. She looked beautiful, the perfect image of a Silver princess.

_She had a gun on her this morning._ I remind myself. This mystery girl might be beautiful and she might have a unique ability (no matter what color her blood was), but she was not a friend. _So why is she wearing the colors of House Titanos?_

Part of me knows I should turn her in for carrying an unidentified gun illegally, but the other part wants to keep the information a secret.

"This morning we saw a miracle. We watched a Red girl fall into the arena like a bolt of lightning, wielding power she should not have," the Queen continues. Murmurs rise, and a few Silvers even stand.

"The king and I interviewed the girl extensively, trying to discover how she came to be. She isn't Red, but she is still a miracle. My friends, please welcome back to us Lady Mareena Titanos, daughter of Ethan Titanos. Lost and now found."

I tear my gaze away from the girl, who was supposedly Lady Mareena Titanos, and stare at the queen in disbelief. Did she actually expect me to believe the bullshit that just came out of her mouth. At this moment, I decide to make it my mission to find out who this girl is and what she is up to. I might not know much about her, but I know that she isn't this Mareena Titanos that the king and queen claim she is.

With a twitch of her hand, the queen beckons Mareena closer. She descends the stairs to stilted applause. The queen gestures to the open seat next to me in the front row of the crowd, and she makes her way towards it. As she gets closer I realize that her nails are painted with purple and silver designs as well. I ball my hands into a fist, resisting the urge to question her in front of everyone. I glare at her, suspicious of her every movement.

"Saved from her parents' fate, Lady Mareena was taken from the front and brought to a Red village not ten miles from here," the king continues, taking over so he can tell whatever grand twist they came up with. "Raised by Red parents, she worked as a Red servant. And until this morning, she believed she was one of them." Everyone except myself gasped, appalled by the thought of being raised to think they had red blood. "Mareena was a diamond in the rough, working in my own palace, the daughter of my late friend, under my nose. But no more. To atone for my ignorance, and to repay her father and her house for their great contributions to the kingdom, I would like to take this moment to announce the joining of House Calore and the resurrected House Titanos."

_What!_ I dedicated my entire life to becoming queen and now, that work was all for nothing. Any sympathy that I had for Mareena before was gone. I don't realize that I'm shaking from rage, until Father puts a hand on my arm to still me.

I feel all the tension in my body deflate when Maven steps forward. Mareena will not be Norta's next queen. Maven stutters briefly, tripping over the words he's been taught, but he finds his voice. "Lady Mareena."

Mareena rises to her feet and faces him.

"In the eyes of my royal father and the noble court, I would ask for your hand in marriage. I pledge myself to you, Mareena Titanos. Will you accept?"

She takes a shaky breath before responding, and for the briefest moment I see fear flash across her eyes. _She doesn't want to do this_, I realize.

"I pledge myself to you, Maven Calore. I accept." She speaks with a monotone voice, calm and emotionless. At least she knows how to mask her emotions, she just might survive the Silver Court.

When both Maven and Mareena are seated, Cal stands.

"I am my father's heir, born to privilege and power and strength. You owe me allegiance, just as I owe you my life. It is my duty to serve you and my kingdom as best I can - and beyond." He's rehearsed his speech, but the fervor Cal has can't be faked. He believes in himself, that he'll be a good king - or die trying. "I need a queen who will sacrifice just as much as I will, to maintain order, justice, and balance."

The Queenstrial girls lean forward, eager to hear his next words. I don't move, I already what he will say next.

"Lady Evangeline."

I rise to my feet with a fluid, cold grace. Looking over my shoulder at the other girls, I bask in the glory, smiling a little when I make eye contact with Mareena. I turn back to face Cal.

"In the eyes of my royal father and the noble court, I would ask for your hand in marriage. I pledge myself to you, Evangeline Samos. Will you accept?"

"I pledge myself to you, Prince Tiberias. I accept." I sit back down.

Still staring at the queen's throne, I grip Mareena's arm, nails biting into her skin. I stop short of breaking skin.

"Get in my way and I'll kill you slowly, little lightning girl." I wanted to ask her about the gun but there were too many people around.

Mareena turns to face me, plastering on smile. "Wouldn't dream of it." Her voice is thick with sarcasm and forced joy. Her eyes have the same suspicious and deadly expression that they had in the Spiral Garden. The threat is clear as day, _If you try to kill me, you will fail. Don't ask questions, stay out of my way and you_ may_ just live._ I let go and return my hand to my lap.

"As wonderful and happy as today has been," King Tiberias says. "I must remind you why this choice has been made. The might of House Samos joined with my son, and all his children to follow, will help guide our nation. You all know the precarious state of our kingdom, with war in the north and foolish extremists, enemies to our way of life, attempting to destroy us from within. The Scarlet Guard might seem small and insignificant to us, but they represent a dangerous turn for our Red brothers." More than a few people in the crowd scoff at the term _brothers_.

"Should this rebellious streak take hold, it will end in bloodshed and a divided nation, something I cannot bear. We must maintain the balance. Evangeline _and_ Mareena will help do that, for the sake of us all."

Murmurs go through the crowd at the king's words. Some nod, others look cross at the Queenstrial choices, but no one voices their dissent. No one speaks up. No one would listen if they did.

Smiling, King Tiberias bows his head. He has won, and he knows it. "Strength and power," he repeats. The motto echoes out from him, as every person says the words.

"Strength and power."


	6. Chapter 6

**Evangeline's POV:**

"That went well," Elara says, snatching her hand away from the king when we reach the residence floors. He doesn't seem to mind in the least. "Take the girls to their rooms."

She doesn't direct her command at anyone in particular, but four Sentinels break off from the group. Their eyes glitter behind their black masks.

"I can do it," Cal and Maven say in unison.

Elara raises an eyebrow. "That would be inappropriate."

"I'll escort Evangeline, Mavey can take Mareena," Cal offers, ignoring the queen's statement.

The king shrugs. "Let them, Elara. The girls need a good night of sleep, and Sentinels would give any lady bad dreams." He chuckles, tossing a playful nod at the guards.

After a moment of tense silence, the queen turns on her heel. "Very well."

"To bed," the king says, his voice a bit more forceful and authoritative. The Sentinels stay with him, following when he goes the opposite way from his wife.

"My room is where, exactly?" I ask Cal with mock innocence.

"This way, my lady." He holds out an arm to me, but I breeze right by him. "Good night, Mavey, Mareena," Cal says before following behind me.

I waited until we were out of ear shot before asking, "So, you're just going to lie to all of Norta and tell them that Mareena has silver blood when she has red blood?"

Cal tensed up a bit. "What makes you think she has red blood?"

"Well, let's see... she was standing only about 15 feet from me when she fell into the arena, a fall from which she got a few small scratches and scrapes, so yes, I could clearly see that her blood was red."

Cal stops walking. "You can't tell anyone," he says, a begging look in his eyes.

"Tell me where her room is, and I won't tell anyone. I swear on my colors."

"Why do you want to know where her room is?" Cal asks suspiciously.

"To talk, alone."

"About what?"

I debate whether to tell him about the gun, but eventually decide against it. "To get to know her better."

It's been about four hours since Cal dropped me off at my new room, and two hours since I had asked Sara Skonos to bring me the gun under my mattress in my old room. Now I'm walking through the service passageways to get to Mareena's room, gun concealed in my leather jacket from earlier. I had spent a few hours looking through books, until I finally found an American gun model that matched the one Mareena had with her when she fell.

Finally, I found the service door leading to the lightning girl's room. I knock on the door and wait.

After about 30 seconds Mareena opens the door. She was in grey yoga joggers and a fitted white crop tank top, any make up she had on earlier was gone.

"Evangeline," she greeted. I shove my way past her, into the room. She closes the door and turns to face me.

"I know your blood is red." She didn't respond, she just stared, her face completely emotionless.

"Does your room have security cameras in it?" Mareena asked suddenly.

"What?"

"Does your room have security cameras in it?" she repeated.

"I-I don't think so, I've never really checked," I answered, confused by her question. She made a slight gesture with her head, nodding towards the bathroom door. She didn't say anything as she walked towards said door, but the message was pretty clear; _We're being watched._

I followed her into the bathroom. Once the door was shut, she turned to me. "What did you want?"

"Why'd you have a gun on you, and where'd you get it from?" I ask, pulling it out of the pocket I had hidden it in.

"Who said that was mine," she says, her face still emotionless. _Wow, she's good at that._

"It was concealed beneath your uniform when you fell into the arena. I felt it on you," I say. "So, why'd you have it and where'd you get it from?"

She stood there for a few minutes, probably debating whether she could trust me or not. Finally she answered. "I always carry it with me for protection, most people in the Stilts carry some sort of weapon with them for defense."

"Ok, where'd you get it from?"

"The black market."

"No, no you didn't. When I was looking through some books to find a model that matched your gun I came up with a match from America."

"I got it from the black market. Where they got it from, I don't know, it might have come from America."

I shake my head. "The black market doesn't go that far."

"How many people have you told about this?" she asks.

"No one other than Sara Skonos, but she had her tongue cut out many years ago, so she won't be telling anyone."

"The queen is a whisper," she points out.

"Elara and Sara don't get along, so Sara avoids her."

Mareena nods, finally satisfied. "Fine, I'll answer your questions, but you can't tell anyone about what said in this room tonight."

"Wasn't planning on it." She crosses her arms, as if waiting for a different answer. "Fine, I swear on my colors that I won't tell anyone. Happy?"

"Yes."

"So, why don't you start by telling me what your name really is." I say.

"Natasha."

"Natasha what?"

"Can't tell you that," she said.

"Your gun was made by the organization called S.H.I.E.L.D., do you work for them?"

She hesitated. "Yes."

"What's your position?"

"That's classified." If it were possible, her face became even more expressionless.

"What does S.H.I.E.L.D. stand for?"

"Uhh..." she said, taking a moment to think. "Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division."

"Ok, last question; how old are you?"

"34." I stared at her blankly. That was 18 years older than what the royal family had told us tonight. "Is that all?" she asked.

"Yes."

"You know where the door is." I nod and head towards the door. "And, Evangeline," Mar-Natasha call after me, just as I'm about to turn the knob. I turn to face her. "I'm holding you to your promise, if I find out that you told anyone you will deeply regret it."

I smile. "You've got spunk, I like that. Goodnight Natasha, I'll see you at breakfast."


End file.
